insideKENT Magazine Issue 42 - September 2015 | Page 114

OUTDOORLIVING
go wild THIS SEPTEMBER cont.

It seems that the dust and the many insects that
the birds encourage to crawl over them help to
control irritating itchy mites living within their
feathers.
Avoid peanuts and large chunks when
putting out birdfood, as there is a still a risk that
large pieces could be fed by adults to fledglings,
and they could choke. However, the breeding
season in the UK is over by the end of August,
so after month end you can put out peanuts and
chunks of bread.
To maximise the numbers of different bird
species that you attract to your garden, it is a
good idea to cater to their different feeding habits.
Hanging bird feeders attract species such as tits,
finches and sparrows. There are many models
available, designed to help keep out rats, cats,
pigeons and squirrels, or to fit onto walls,
windows, windowsills and balconies. Bird tables
attract robins, house and tree sparrows, doves,
pigeons, bullfinches, greenfinches, chaffinches
and bramblings. Food scattered on the ground
attracts blackbirds, thrushes, dunnocks and
wrens.
Hanging bird feeders are best located over a
paved or decked area, which can be regularly
swept clear of debris. This may reduce problems
with squirrels and vermin, if they prove a nuisance.
Bird tables are best sited a few feet clear of cover
or high vegetation, so that cats and other
predators cannot launch themselves onto
unsuspecting feeding birds. Tables can be quite
close to windows or patios, as many birds get
used to human activity, and are not put off by us.

Insects
Bug life should be encouraged. Without insects
and other invertebrates, there would be no birds
and mammals, and many flowers would fail to
pollinate, set seed or produce fruit. Bugs help to
keep each other in check. It is often when one
pest in the food chain is killed with chemicals
that others are suddenly free to multiply
unchecked, so creating further problems for the
gardener.
Damselflies
and
dragonflies
are still
evident near
ponds and
water
features.
Damselflies
have a lazier,
zigzagging
pattern of
flight, whereas dragonflies take a faster and more
direct flight path. The third generation of adults
emerge around this month.
Pond skaters and water boatmen are still
seen skating on the pond surface in search of
food. Hoverflies and ladybirds are still evident.
They are good garden ‘pest-catchers’, so are to
be encouraged. Hoverflies do not sting even
though they look similar to wasps – this is just
the scary camouflage they use to deter predators.
Gardeners have traditionally planted marigolds

114

around the vegetable patch to attract hoverflies
as pest control.
Wasps, despite their reputation as fruit
blemishing, stinging pests, are good controllers
of many garden pests, including flies and grubs.
They are also useful pollinators of flowers.
Gardens with nooks and crannies, and a
few are 2v